The Washington critic., 1887-09-23
A NEW ELECrRiC CiR.


visit of Metropoiitnn Railroad DIr5c.
tors To Philadelphia 10 Inspect o..
by Invitation Of Mr.. William Wharton, ir,,
Tie inventor Of tho new electric motor car,
party Of Washington gentlemen, repre-
seutlng the directorship ot the Metropolitan
RAILROAD of this city, yesterday visited
fhilndelphla for the purpose Of inspecting
the Invention, The party was composed
OF President George w. Pearson, Directors
Robert Beall aud Robert d. Weaver, Super
intendent Lloyd W. Emmart, Mr. Fred.
erick w. Royce (the scientist OF the expe.
dition), and representative each OF TnE
Critic and Republican. The 7:2j a. m
train was taken, and at l0A7 Broad street
depot, Philadelphia, was reached and car
rlages taken for Twenty.third street aud
Washington avenue, where MIR. Wharton's
works are located. The company was
cordially received by Mr.. Wharton ana his
assistants, Professor Anthony ReGkcnzaum
OF London aud MIR G. Herbert Condict OF
San Francisco, tue electricians, who pro-
ceeded at once to explain the new motor.
The car used for illustration Is an old one
which was formerly run ON the Fourth aud
Eighth streets road. The motive power Is
furnished by storage batteries, which con
sist OF a series OF cells In each OF which are
plunged twenty-,hree lead plates, twelve
being united together to form one pole aud
eleven to the other. The plates are perfo-
rated at regular intervals aud the holes arc
hlled respectively with lithatge aud red
lead. The cells weigh about forty pounds
each, and eighty OF them form the working
battery of u street car. These cells are stored
IN the spaces under the seats, The charging
mud II diluted solution OF sulphuric acid,
In order to charge the battery tue cells are
removed from the car aud they are then
connected to dynamo electric machine
which, In the experimental plant used, Is
driven by ten horsepower gas engine. It
takes four hours to fully charge the eighty
cells OF the battery. On board the cars the
cells are automatically connected together,
and the terminal poles run to vertical
cylindrical board, stationed on the
front platform. This switch is so construct
cd as to make twenty-five different cOmbl'
nations OF the force, so as to exactly regu.
late the expenditure OF energy.
From the switch-board the wires run to
the commutator OF an electric motor sus.
pended under the car, and gearing with the
axle of the front wheels. When the handle
of the switch Is set to stop, all the batteries
are out Of action. As the handle is carried
to the right or left, number OF the cells
are thrown Into action, according to the OK.
cent OF the movement On one side OF the
centre the current is caused to flow to the
motor In one direction, causing the car to
move ahead, and the reverse motion sends
the current In the opposite direction,
causing the car to move backwards The
car has four iucandescent llghts-one
| at each end and two in the centre. On the
| front dashboard is large electric light.
| There are also two bells on the car and all
| these are worked by the electricity which
is stored in the batteries under the seats.
Before leaving on a trial trip the company
was augmented by the Introduction OF some
| Philadelphia horse railroad gentlemen, and
a start was made (the car being comfort.
| ably tilled), Mr.. Condict In charge. Under
| his direction the car pulled out OF the shop
| into the yard, where u circular track 1,050
| feet long has been laid, introducing sew
eral very sharp curves and grade OF i've
feet IN the hundred.
Leaving the yard the car ran on the track
OF the Spruce and Pine streets line through
some Of the most crowded thoroughfares
of the city. Speed at the rate OF eight miles
per hour was sometimes reached, aud one
or two miles per hour frequently, showing
perfect control OF the motor. The car was
stopped at half length, when going at four
miles an hour. A brief halt at the Ex-
change was made, thence to Pine street,
and out to Gray's Ferry. Reaching the
shop once more, the party left the car, and,
by Invitation Of MIR. Wharton, partook OF q
sumptuous collation..
After lunch Mr.. Wharton made few re-
marks, alluding to the trip to the steady
motion Of the car, and to the fact that HIS
object had been to furnish better and more
economical service than by horsc.cars. The
company are now charging batteries with
ten horse power tor four hours THAT is,
forty horsepower hours) at cost of IS
cents, or In a day Of sixteen hours, 81 l2.
At an estimated cost Of supporting horse
| $50 cents per day, which statement was cor
roborated by railroad men present), aud
| with eight horses for use each day on each
| car and one spare horse, the cost of main
| tanning horse flesh to perform the same
work would be 81 so per day.
Another Item Of saving would he In dis
| pensing with stable room. Tracks need not
| be changed to run the motor car; there Il
no breaking OF machinery as on cable roads
where, II the machinery is Injured, the whole
| system must suspend.
| The car used for experimenting has run
| at least one thousand miles, and they have
/ had no trouble with 1t. An elght.wheel
car is being built with the twenty-six Inch
wheels, instead OF thirty-inCh, thus dis
tributing the weight OF the batteries aud
lowering the floor Of the car. With the
mere rapid transit possible to be secured,
two cars will probably take the place OF
three. In Washington, where distances are
great, faster locomotion than by horses I:
desirable. These cars can run more easily
at eight miles an hour than at four. Tht
batteries will last, II is estimated, two year
without needing repair, and there is lest
depreciation than in horse flesh 1t Is thu
intention OF Messrs. Wharton & Co, t
more fully perfect their motor, reducing
the cost immensely, and then they will bt
prepared to equip roads.
President Pearson, on being called on by
Mr.. Wharton, made brief speech, thank
Ing Mr.. Wharton and his associates for thu
opportunity that had been afforded tht
visiting gentlemen to witness the operation
OF the new car, expressing his satisfaction
with what had been seen, and the hop
that 1t may be put in operation in Wash
ington.
A ride down town concluded the event
OF the day, and the Washington delegation
returned to their homes.
Too Much Care
cannot he taken In the selection Of tolle
soaps. Colgate ,S Co.'s are the best. Tr